BC Prospects Sing Praises of New Dolphins O-line Coach

INDIANAPOLIS — Matt Applebaum may not have been a household when the Miami Dolphins hired him to become their new offensive line coach, but there are a couple of Boston College prospects at the NFL scouting combine who gladly will tell you about him.

And Zion Johnson and Alec Lindstrom will tell you the Dolphins landed a coach not only well versed in the zone blocking scheme but someone who will help develop offensive linemen.

“Coach Applebaum is the man," said Lindstrom, whose brother Chris started every game for the Atlanta Falcons the last two seasons after being a first-round pick in 2019. "Coming in, he really introduced to me that zone-scheme offense and really refining my technique in a zone scheme. I’m a smaller guy and having someone like him to really work on my technique and my athleticism and using that to my advantage is unreal.

"Every single day after practice, after workouts, whatever, he always cared about us. He would stay after practice and take his time to work with us to get better and use that extra time, always there to talk. I just talked to him a couple minutes ago. I saw him in the hall (at the Indianapolis Convention Center). He’s such a personable guy. He’s a great guy and he’s a great coach.”

Johnson played for Applebaum both at Davidson and BC after only taking up football as a junior in high school.

A few years later, he finds himself as a potential first-round pick as an interior offensive lineman thanks in large part to Applebaum helping him develop.

"When I first got to Davidson, I was really behind everybody else in terms of development," Johnson said. "I didn’t know what an over front was, I didn’t know a 3-technique was, I was so behind. And Coach Applebaum was a guy who took me aside. I’d go to his office in the evenings and go over that sort of thing. That really helped me be able to get on the field my freshman year.

"And when he came to Boston College he was really a unique coach I had because he’s someone … he has his base in terms of technique, but he’s a guy who wants you to do whatever you can to win your rep, to do your job. He’s someone who wants to work with the whole offensive line to figure out the best course of action in terms of technique or various ways.”

Neither Johnson nor Lindstrom have met with the Dolphins at the combine, though Applebaum obviously enough about them that the team doesn't need to waste a formal interview if they were inclined to draft either player.

Because they played for Applebaum, Johnson and Lindstrom both are well versed in the zone scheme and would be good fits for the Dolphins if picked at the right time.

Regardless, the addition of Applebaum no doubt will help implement the zone scheme and further the development of the Dolphins' young offensive linemen like Robert Hunt, Austin Jackson, Liam Eichenberg and Michael Deiter.